Is Mac Kid Rock?

This past week I was at a local school, demonstrating pen, ink and brush drawing. There was about 250 families there, adults and children from about 6 to 14. I have to admit I was anxious going into the school. As so often is the case, I misjudged the time to arrive, had just enough time to get there, and then there was a car going half the speed limit. I guess it was someone with night blindness, but it did not help me to get there. I was about five minutes late instead of 15 minutes early and that put me even more on edge. I don't know about other people, but I know I don't do my best art when I am agitated, and I was agitated. I had to ask another artist who used to work at the school to flag down a maintenance person, so I could get my table set up and start. By the time the table was up, and I was unpacked and my display was up, I was really jangled.

I did pre-draw the image in light pencil, so I would not have to struggle with composition, and proportions, and I could just concentrate on the pen and ink and brush work. I had to really concentrate hard, and relax myself before I started. Ink is not forgiving, and a mistake would have been a disaster for the demo.

Things went well, but the best part of the demo was talking to the people there. They really were interested in art, and interested in my brag book. I often put out this book of my art images, and people look down at whatever page I had it opened to, but never leaf through. At the demo, not only parents but kids leafed through. I really appreciate the kids comments and excitement.

I did a carbon pencil drawing of a local musician called Mac, and had it made into a bookmark to give to the children. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find Mac looks like Kid Rock, and I was suddenly popular among the kids. I think half of them think I knew Kid Rock, but just was not admitting to it. The other half seem to think Mac is Kid Rock, but I didn't know. Either way I was a very popular artist that night.

I have a mission in life. I want to encourage kids in art, in art appreciation, and just enjoying art. I felt the demo helped me reach and talk to six kids, and that made the time really worthwhile for me. As well, the demo went so well I finished it off after wards in my studio, framed it and set it aside for the next show.

So, even though the start of the demo was nerve racking, the results were better than I thought.
The enthusiasm of the students at the school is the greatest shot in the arm I have received in a long time. I don't know about you, but as an artists I need my ego feed regularly, or I start to feel depressed.

Well now only one question remainds -- Is Mac Kid Rock? He is going to pose for us this week, so I am going to give him a bookmark and pose the question?